Making of Dhokra

Introduction

India's cultural diversity comes to light in its various cultures. The country’s folk dances and handicrafts have successfully preserved its ancient art forms. One such art form is Dhokra Art  (or Dokra Art). Before we dive into its making process, it will be worthwhile to know the history and origin of this ancient metal craft.

What is Dhokra Art ?

The art is a non-ferrous metal casting technique known as lost-wax casting or cire perdue (in French). This technique has been known to be in existence for nearly 4000 years. A statue of a dancing doll excavated in Mohenjo-Daro is the oldest known lost-wax technique artifact. 

Creating the Mould

Step 1 - The first step in the creation of Dhokra metal art is the powdering and sieving of Black mud, or Kaali mitti, which is later on used for creating the core clay model. This process is usually performed by the female section of the household.

Step 2 - A coarse clay mixture is created as it is mixed and kneaded with rice husk.

Step 3 - Once the soil dough is ready it is molded into a model which is kept in the sun and dried out completely. This step is crucial to ensure that the composite mould model is devoid of any excess water and can retain its shape throughout the process. The model can also be dried by gently firing in the oven. This clay-mud model is in shape of the final cast.

Preparing Beeswax Strands

Step 4 - A Beeswax or resin bundle is used for the next step in the process. With the assistance of an ingenious tool called Thassa, thin strands are extracted from beeswax bundles through a sieve-like tool called ‘Pichki’. The artist draws threads (as thin as 1mm in diameter) out of the wax bundle which will be then used to wrap up the clay model. This is the most crucial step in the creation of Dhokra art as it requires continuous practice to perfect the art of drawing the beeswax into thin wires and wrapping them around the mould deftly.